Now Three Marines Are Being 'Punished' For Attacking A Hooker In Brazil

The Obama administration was sullied by yet another sex scandal yesterday, with the announcement that three Marines and a U.S. embassy official have been “punished” for allegedly attacking a prostitute in Brazil. Speaking to reporters in Brasilia Tuesday, defence Secretary Leon Panetta said that the Marines and the embassy official have been removed from the country and “severely punished,” adding that two of the Marines have been demoted, and the third will not be allowed to reenlist.

defence officials told the AP the incident in question took place outside of a nightclub last December. The Americans were leaving the club with at least two escorts, when one of the women got into a confrontation with their driver. In an interview with Brazilian television, the woman claimed that one of the Marines then threw her out of the car and she was knocked unconscious. There are also reports that she broke her collar bone, although that has not been confirmed.

Although some Obama administration officials — including the President — have blamed the Colombia scandal on a few “knuckleheads,” the twin scandals underscore questions about the “wheels up, rings off” culture among U.S. security officials working overseas.